Washington D.C. Police Revise Security Measures for Election Day
In a recent briefing, Police Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department shared critical updates regarding security arrangements for various events leading up to Election Day in Washington D.C.
In WASHINGTON, at a press event on Tuesday morning, Chief Smith revealed that attendance at Vice President Kamala Harris’ upcoming rally at the Ellipse could exceed an impressive 52,000 participants. “Initially we anticipated around 20,000 attendees,” stated Smith during the conference aimed at outlining measures for election-related activities. “However, after consulting with our team yesterday, we’ve adjusted our expectations to over 52,000 attendees.”
For further details: See our coverage on Harris’ speech at the Ellipse – including timings and viewing options.
Vice President Kamala Harris engaged with expecting families and caregivers during her visit to UCSF Mission Bay on April 21, 2022 (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images).
For those interested: Check out current polling updates between Harris and Trump as Election Day approaches.
Chief Smith added that police have conducted outreach with local accommodations and transport services throughout the area but reported no significant uptick in bookings or reservations related to these events. ”Currently there are no discernible threats posed to Washington D.C.,” she noted while emphasizing that an increased number of officers will be deployed citywide as part of their enhanced security protocols in anticipation of upcoming electoral gatherings.
The campaign’s final push will see Vice President Harris taking the stage tonight around 7:15 p.m., close to where former President Donald Trump incited a mob attack against the U.S. Capitol back in January 2021.
On another note, Trump is scheduled to host a rally this Sunday at Madison Square Garden just days ahead of Election Day. This event is expected to attract large crowds estimated in thousands into New York City. High-profile guests like Elon Musk from Tesla and UFC’s Dana White are also expected attendance figures will necessitate robust police operations due to Madison Square Garden’s capacity limit set at approximately 19,500 seats.
FILE – Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before his supporters gathered near The Ellipse by the White House on January 6th,
2021 (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images).
